Gravity
by Hitokiri-Kitsune
Summary: [SasuNaru] The sun shone brilliantly above the whole cheerful scene, as though to say, “Nothing can go wrong!” If the sun really had stated such a comment, it would have lied. The results of one mistake on Sasuke's behalf. [ON HIATUS]
1. Chapter 1

**.: G r a v i t y :.**

A Sasuke x Naruto Fic

**A/N:** Here we are again! Hah, I've been totally obsessed with Naruto lately. I decided to work on my writing, so why not write a fic for all to enjoy? Yay. Okay, stuff about this fic! This is a _Shonen-ai/Yaoi _fic. That means **malexmale**. If ya don't like it, leave. Shooo!

Right, well. Sorry this is a bit short...and...

This is dedicated to Shieny, because without her, I'd have no one to talk to about Naruto. :3 I tried writing the Uchihacest fic I promised, but...Meh, it sucked. XD So here's my apology, albeit a little late. e.e And I felt like writing her a fic. Also partly dedicated to BW, because I suck ass and haven't written her the Kurama/Hiei ficcie I promised. XD Aren't I terrible? -sigh- Well, anyway, on with the nifty little disclaimer.

**Disclaimer:** Kishimoto-sama owns Naruto. I don't. I wish I did...But I don't. -cries- WHY MEE?

Okay, now...Err...Here's some other info-ness.

_Italicized_ Thoughts

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**.C h a p t e r 1.**

It had been a perfectly beautiful day. Not a single person was inside, making the Konoha streets lively and crowded with jovial people. They chatted animatedly amongst themselves, catching up on the news and the juicy gossip. The sun shone brilliantly above the whole cheerful scene, as though to say, "Nothing can go wrong!" If the sun really had stated such a comment, it would have lied.

Things could go wrong; things _would_ go wrong. But no one had any knowledge of this, and so they continued about their business, being blissfully unaware of what was soon to take place. Why, even the most anti-social of all the residents in the bustling little town was outside, and said person was enjoying himself just as much as the others.

Standing atop the grassy knoll, a boy gazed at the vast fields sprawled unevenly before him. How long had it been, since he was genuinely alone? No Kakashi. No Sakura. No Ino. And _especially_ no Naruto. There was finally peace. Sighing softly, contentedly, he fell back, letting the soft, springy Earth break his fall.

Dark eyes stared into the endless blue sky. Not a single cloud obscured his view of the beautiful heavens above. A soft breeze blew over him, cooling his hot face. The emerald grass tickled his pale skin. Songbirds chirped rhythmically in the distance. _Wonder where they are..._ He felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a smile...

No. Uchiha Sasuke **did not** smile.

It was an amazingly perfect day, and nothing could ruin the lovely mood it brought about. Sasuke couldn't help but let the tranquility wash over him, and soon his cold, indifferent mask melted away. He was no longer 'cool, unfeeling Sasuke,' just Sasuke. And that brought a smile to his face, no matter how much he wanted to suppress it.

If it weren't for days like this, no matter how few they were, the Uchiha boy would surely lose his mind. Between running from his psychotic fan club (which, he noted unhappily, was growing) and training to be a great ninja, the dark teen had no time for himself, to just be content and take pleasure in the word, "alone."

The raven-haired boy rolled over, laying on his stomach. He propped himself up on his elbows, resting his chin in his hands. _I wonder where everyone is, anyway. They've usually found me and annoyed the hell out of me by now..._ he mused lazily, letting one arm drop to the grass and leaving the other one in it's place. Who cared where the idiots that he was forced to be around daily were, anyway?

If it meant that he was by himself, finally in a tranquil environment where he could forget everything, then he couldn't care less where they were. In fact, he hoped they didn't find him. Not now, not ever. He idly plucked a few blades of grass, playing with them between his fingers, as he decided this, letting the shards of green float away with the warmed air. As if on cue, he heard a high pitched cry that seemed to split the very terrain before him in half.

"**SASUKE-KUUUUUUUUN!**"

"Sakura..." he muttered bitterly to himself, rising up from his comfortable position. The content smile faded almost instantly, and an irritated scowl took its place. Again, he had become the apathetic ninja.

_This girl...NEEDS A HOBBY._

"Sa...suke..." the pink-haired girl panted, trotting up onto the hill and stopping in front of him. She took a moment to catch her breath, then gave the object of her affection a sweet smile. "I've been looking all over for you. I figured, since we have off for a few weeks...We could...Um..." She paused, a deep blush sweeping over her flustered face. "S-Spend it together..." she stuttered shyly, finishing. Sasuke raised a dark eyebrow. _Is she serious? _He thought incredulously. He couldn't even count all of the times that he had turned her down.

And here she was, asking _again_! Couldn't she take a hint? "Oi..." he muttered softly to himself, so softly that the bubblegum-haired girl didn't hear. He was beginning to feel slightly sorry for the girl. The feeling soon passed when he thought of all the times she used people to try getting to him, each time more unsuccessful than the last. Deciding that she would get over it eventually, he quickly thought up an excuse.

"I'm...busy..." he stated, saying so with uncharacteristic quickness. That hadn't at all come out right! She must know that he was lying! To his surprise, she seemed to believe him. The bubble-gum haired girl seemed discouraged for a moment; the Sharingan user felt a sense of relief. That is, until she recovered from her bout of sadness. "Oh...well, what are you doing?" she asked, managing to smile brightly.

"I have a date," the youngest Uchiha replied in an uninterested tone. _Time to put years of lying and acting to good use,_ he thought, sighing inwardly. Meanwhile, Sakura was having a heart attack. _A DATE? _Inner Sakura roared. _I'LL KILL THE GIRL!_ "W-What? W-With who?" Sakura demanded to know; if she was losing Sasuke to some bimbo, she had a right to know who she was! Sasuke, thinking swiftly, said the first name that came to his mind. He didn't know at the time just how much he'd regret it.

"Naruto."

Sakura stared at him, not even bothering to hide the horror and fury that was seizing her. "What did you say...?" she asked, her voice weak, as though she might faint. Did she hear correctly? Did Sasuke just suggest that he, the almighty Uchiha Sasuke, user of the Sharingan, perfect man, Konoha's most eligible, was **gay**? As in possibly liking, no, _loving_ other **boys**? And that not only was he a _homosexual_, but that he was going out with the world's most obnoxious boy, believer in all that was annoying and immature, **Uzumaki Naruto**?

"I have a date with Naruto..." the raven-haired boy repeated flatly. He emphasized his disinterest with a bored glare. "N-Naruto...?" she echoed in question, trying hard not to scream. Had he _completely_ lost his sanity? Could he possibly have feelings for _Naruto_? Hate for the fox boy surged through her. She gaped at him, nearly bursting into tears when he gave a curt "Yes," and a slight nod.

The world seemed to crumble around her. Time seemed to stop. The seconds ticked by slowly, painfully, as the simple reply played itself over and over in her one-track mind, all of this happening in an instant. _"Yes."_ And then another thought: _What the hell does **Naruto** have that **I** don't have?_ Her expression was akin to that of a fish out of water― her mouth open and closed repeatedly, as though she were unable to say the words that so desperately wished to take form and escape her.

"O-Oh..." she mumbled finally. Confusion illuminated her features, as she choked out a simple sentence. "...Maybe another time..." And with that, she turned away from him and ran, tears blurring her vision. Sasuke blinked at her speedy exit, then flopped over onto the grass, again propping himself up with his elbow and letting his chin rest in his hand.

His mind whirred with unanswered questions― ones that could not be answered and would not be answered. Not now, and maybe not ever. Why the hell had he said _Naruto_? He could have chosen any girl in Kohona, and they would have been more than happy to help keep Sakura away. But no, he chose Naruto. Hell, he could have even chose another _guy_! But instead, he picked _Uzumaki Naruto_.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?" he shouted, once the full realization of what had just occurred hit him, much like a speeding train. He had told Sakura, who, as everyone in Kohona knew, was the biggest gossiper in town (next to Ino), that he was dating **Naruto**. How would the people react? Would this critically hurt his reputation? And what about Naruto?

He could already hear it.

"Sasuke, I'm gonna kick your ass!" 

With a small groan of frustration, Sasuke let his head fall onto the grass with a soft thump. He let the Earth embrace him, as the sun disappeared behind a newly formed cloud. Onyx eyes stared absently at the land beneath him, dark with heavy thoughts. What was going to happen? _Maybe she won't tell...Maybe this will all go away. Maybe this is a dream._ Maybe, maybe, maybe. He clutched the grass in his fists, as though clinging onto it for dear life.

And then it rained.

He didn't move an inch, just closed his eyes and stayed on the dampened ground. The downpour was almost a relief to him; the cooling waters, although slowly becoming uncomfortably frigid, seemed to wash away everything. Maybe things COULD go away. Maybe it COULD be a dream. The rain seemed to encourage the idea. _Ugh, who am I kidding? _He sighed for the umpteenth time, clutching the muddy earth and closing his eyes, praying that he could be content again. Praying that nothing had happened.

A fleeting thought then passed through his mind―

_It was such a nice day, too._

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**.End Chapter 1.**

Wow, a whole...Two pages. --; Gomen nasi, I should have made it longer. Hopefully, the next one will be longer...So sorry. oo; -bows repeatedly- Ah...er...yeah...If you actually liked this, so far, review. Reviews make me stop being a lazy ass and update. O.o Yesh...Those two make such a kawaii couple, ne? It's like...The best of two worlds. Oo Light and Dark. Yesh, very hot indeed. Who knows? Maybe there will be some yaoi action! Maybe. Depends on whether or not people ask for it, and if Shieny waves her "GIMME HOT BOY-ON-BOY ACTION!" flag...AND IF SHE SIGNS ON! DAMMIT! -foams- -ahem- Meh. Until the next update! (If it comes.) -skitters off to drool over the two aforementioned boys-

-**Hitokiri-Kitsune**


	2. Chapter 2

**. G r a v i t y .**

By** Hitokiri-Kitsune**

**A/N:** Here we are again! I'm actually updating. Sorry this took so terribly long, I've been working on some other fics, and school is taking up a lot of my time. You guys must think me a horrid person...x.x; But, enough excuses! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys make me feel so great. X3 I was grinning like a moron for days. But, right. Onto the disclaimer!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything. You should know better! ;

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto "G r a v i t y" © Hitokiri-Kitsune

_Italics_ Thoughts

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**. C h a p t e r 2 .**

The sun shone brightly on Konoha, causing the dampened streets to glisten as though there were diamonds scattered along the roads. Only thin clouds were left in the heavens above, drifting lazily along. Sitting at the popular Ichiraku Ramen Bar was none other than the infamous vulpine boy, Uzumaki Naruto. To many people's bewilderment, in place of the usual mischievous grin was a discouraged frown. What had caused the fox boy to be so unhappy? To answer this question, we'll go back to only moments before.

The day had begun with a slightly overcast sky, the training fields wet with rainwater. Still, though, Naruto had gone to the secluded field and trained until he could no longer walk without a slight staggering motion. Once completely sure that he could go no more, he leaned against a tall tree trunk, panting. "I'll...have...to...do...better...tomorrow!" he breathed out to himself, grinning proudly.

_Grumble, grumble._ "What was...?" A low growling sound prompted the blonde genin to think for a minute. When was the last time he had eaten? He clutched his stomach. "Hungry..." he muttered, pouting slightly. With hopes of food in his heart, he sprinted across the drenched grass, not pausing until he was so close to the Ramen Bar that he could smell it. He breathed in the heavenly scent; was that beef? Or maybe it was chicken. Nearly drooling, he reached into his pocket and retrieved his wallet. Prying it open just a bit, he peered inside.

"NOTHING?" he screeched, alarming those who had been indolently walking to and fro. _This SUCKS! How am I supposed to get ramen if I have no money?_ he thought, shoving the empty wallet roughly back into his pocket. _Maybe,_ he thought, _Iruka-sensei will be there! He'll buy me ramen!_ And so, with optimism, he dashed to the Ramen Bar. Upon arriving there, he found a minor flaw in his plan to get the much-wanted food.

No Iruka.

And so, we return to the despondent teen, who had decided to rest his head on the table and sigh every now and then. _So...hungry..._ he thought. A deep grumble confirmed this, and he let out a groan of despair. He felt someone sit next to him. Thinking it was the chocolate-eyed chûnin, he looked up, smiling brightly. Upon seeing it wasn't his former teacher, but Sasuke, his smile diminished, and he let his head drop back onto the counter with a dull thud. "Hey, Naruto..." The said fox boy glanced up at him; was he talking to him? Where was the customary 'dead-last' in that sentence?

Strange. Very strange.

"Hey...Sasuke..." Naruto replied after a long pause, glancing at him warily. He noticed the raven-haired teen twitch slightly, and listened as he continued. "Say...uh...you hungry?" the young Uchiha asked, his voice a bit strained. The vulpine boy nearly fell out of his chair in shock; this was Sasuke! And he was asking _him,_ out of all people, if he was hungry? _I kinda am though...But that's beside the point! What the hell is going on here? _He straightened up, turning his head to look at the dark-eyed teen beside him.

"Yeah..." he said slowly. "What flavor do you want?" the raven-haired teen asked flatly. "I...er...chicken," the fox boy replied, quite flustered. "He'll have chicken, and I'll take beef," Sasuke said to the cook, who nodded and began preparing the said food. Naruto blinked at him; this wasn't normal. "Sasuke...You feeling okay?" the fox boy asked, staring. The raven-haired teen sighed; this was going to be hell. The Uchiha boy sighed inwardly; he could just imagine what being around the hyperactive genin would do to him. It made him want to scream.

Meanwhile, Naruto had received his bowl of ramen and was currently wolfing it down, eating as if he hadn't seen food in months. In about five minutes, he finished the large bowl, and was nibbling absentmindedly on a chopstick. Sasuke blinked; he wondered if the fox boy had even stopped to chew. "Ahh...Thanks, Sasuke," the blonde genin said, giving his teammate a toothy grin.

"Don't mention it," the young Uchiha replied monotonously. "If you don't mind me asking though," the fox boy continued, "why _did_ you treat me to ramen?" A hush fell over the entire Ramen Bar. Six heads turned to look at the two boys; weren't they the new couple Sakura had told them about? Quiet whispers rose up; those _were_ the two boys. Small bits of conversations could be heard.

"...Kawaii..."

"...Like night and day..."

"...Hot, kinky..."

"...I'd pay to see them..."

_Shit,_ the raven-haired teen thought, thinking desperately of a way out of this. _Sakura and her big mouth!_ After setting the money for the ramen on the counter, he hastily grabbed Naruto's wrist and pulled him away. "I have to talk to you," he mumbled, just loud enough for the fox boy to hear. "B-But..." the blonde began to protest, but was dragged off and out of sight. This, of course, made the villagers surer that they were together. 'They must be off to have some time alone,' they thought, nodding to one another, and they simply refused to believe otherwise.

"Where can we go...?"

"We can go to my house..."

Sasuke blinked; he hadn't known he'd voiced his musings. "Alright. It's this way, right?" he asked, glancing back at the confused blonde. "Yeah, you're going the right way," the fox boy replied quietly, thinking about what he could possibly be so desperate to tell him. _What would be so important,_ he thought, _that he'd actually act nervous?_ He felt anxious to the point of nausea. _It can't be good..._ He didn't know just how right he was.

A little later, they arrived at the small apartment door. Fishing around in his pocket for his keys, the blonde attempted to start a conversation. "So...Sasuke," he said, trying not to sound as tense as he did. "Where were you today? Sakura-chan and I didn't see you around." Silence met him as he retrieved the keys and unlocked the door, than followed him into the apartment.

The Uchiha heir looked around curiously; he had never been inside of the blonde's house before. Unlike what he had previously imagined, it wasn't a hazardous war zone of dirty laundry and discarded ramen cups. In fact, it seemed pretty average, besides the fact that it was a bit empty.

"...Suke...?"

He wondered if this was even the right place. It didn't fit Naruto's personality. It should be hectic, dirty, or at least a little messy! It almost looked as if no one lived here! Something was wrong about it―

"EARTH TO SASUKE."

He snapped out of his trance, blinking. "What now?" he said, sounding distracted. "I said, do you want anything?" the vulpine boy repeated, arching an eyebrow. "Um...N-No thanks," his teammate replied, seemingly attempting to regain his composure. "Oookay then..." Without another word, Naruto continued inside, taking a seat at a small table with two chairs.

"Take a seat." The raven-haired teen silently did just that, folding his hands in front of him and staring at them intently. "So...what did you want to talk about?" the cerulean-eyed boy before him asked quietly, placing his elbow atop the table and resting his chin in his hand.

"I...made a mistake."

Completely quiet.

"A really, really big mistake."

Nothing.

"Y-You're gonna think this is funny...Heh..."

Silence-y silence.

"I...sort of...implied that..."

Sasuke's head throbbed slightly, as he thought of exactly how to say what he needed to. He noticed that the normally talkative teen was completely silent. That, he decided, was worse than when he did speak. It meant that this was more serious than he thought it was.

"That...We were..."

Not a single word.

"...Dating."

The final word seemed to echo throughout the fox boy's home. After several moments of complete stillness, the blonde broke the deafening hush that had fallen upon the two. "So what you're saying," he said softly, "is that you said that me and you were dating." The onyx-eyed boy was taken aback; there was no underlying tone of anger, disgust, or surprise. In fact, if Sasuke didn't know better, he would think that the questioning voice had come from himself, had it not sounded so differently. "Hai," he replied, his voice just above a whisper. Naturally, he was not expecting what he heard next.

It started out low, a nervous chuckle, but now it was full-blown laughter. The hyperactive teen clutched the table in an attempt to steady himself as his sky-hued eyes glinted with mirth. Had the darker boy not had any experience with hiding his emotions, his jaw would have been hanging open. "And what the hell is so funny, dobe?" he shouted despite his better judgment. "Y-You," the vulpine boy choked out, snickering loudly. "You said _me_ and _you_ were dating. As in me being your...your..._boyfriend_."

It took about seven minutes for him to calm down and stop laughing. Even so, occasional giggles escaped the blonde, making Sasuke more irate than he had been at the ramen stand. "How is that funny?" he practically screamed, a vein popping out of his forehead. "You don't see it?" the fox boy asked, still looking thoroughly amused. "No, I don't. Enlighten me," the other growled, glaring daggers.

"Well, come on Sasuke, we all knew that you're gay," Naruto said nonchalantly, leaning back in his chair. He was then forced to evade a roughly thrown shuriken from his teammate. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR, SASUKE-TEME?" he shouted, giving the Uchiha an angered look. "I. Am. Not. Gay!" said teen spat, deadly serious.

"You don't have to lie."

"I'll kill you."

"Sheesh, someone's touchy. Sorry, Mr. I'm-In-Denial."

"Naruto...Ever wondered what it's like to be strangled to death?"

"Hehe...Anou...Okay, you're not gay."

"Thank you."

After that, they sat stock still, staring anxiously at one another. A pin could have been heard dropping in the small, empty apartment, and it surely could have echoed for quite a time after that. It was finally Naruto who broke the tense stillness that had settled between them. "Well...What're you gonna do about it?" he inquired, shifting awkwardly in his seat. "I...don't really know," the other admitted, turning his piercing gaze away. Shadowed orbs darted desperately in that space, looking for something to concentrate on. Finally he found it: a simple picture on the wall, set into a silver frame.

In the photo, Naruto was sitting happily with Iruka on a park bench, their arms around each other's shoulders. Both had stunningly wide smiles, although, upon further inspection, the Uchiha heir noticed something odd about Naruto's carefree grin. It really wasn't all that carefree, and held some lingering feeling of loneliness in it. It was almost as if it had been forced; his eyes, slightly dulled, only added to his suspicion. Even now, he knew, the fox boy's unsure smile was a bit strained, as though he were saying, 'Don't worry, I'm fine, I'm happy. Don't worry.'

It troubled him for some reason.

It was because of this that Sasuke conquered his fear and forced himself to look back at the vulpine boy, trying desperately not to look down, but to look at him. "Well...I can't do much," he heard himself saying. "But, I know that now the whole town thinks that we're together." Naruto fidgeted again, laughing nervously. "S-So does that mean the whole town thinks that I'm gay too?" he asked, azure eyes huge with realization.

Sometimes he couldn't believe how stupid his teammate was.

"Yes, Naruto-baka!"

"HEY! THIS IS YOUR DAMNED FAULT, ASSHOLE!"

"Naruto...God, you make my head hurt..."

"WELL GOOD! You deserve it, 'cause you're a mean, lying, selfish, stuck-up, stupid, bas―"

The blonde paused in his ramble of insults to gasp loudly. "That means Sakura-chan won't like me anymore!" he wailed, dramatic tears filling his eyes. "What? She never liked you!" the raven-haired teen shouted over the sobs. "SHE DID SO! She was just hiding it, 'cause I'm so damned sexy it's intimidating!" the fox boy argued, pouting stubbornly. "Fine, whatever. She was hiding some freaky love obsession and you're the sexiest ever. HAPPY? CAN YOU SHUT UP NOW?"

The vulpine boy paused in his string of whines to blink at the pale boy. "Did you just call me sexy?" he asked, snickering loudly. "DEAR GOD." Sasuke decided he couldn't take this; if he stayed between the four empty walls, and in the basic chair, he would completely loose his mind, and most likely murder the blonde. _And it wouldn't be pretty_. Standing suddenly, he whirled around and began the walk towards the door.

"I'm out of here. You're going to drive me to kill."

"You're just mad 'cause you love me."

"YOU'RE INSANE. I'M LEAVING."

"Okay. Bye, Sasuke!"

Without another word, the Uchiha ripped the door open (and almost off its hinges) and strode out heatedly. He made a point to slam the door behind him, making the walls tremble. "Why that idiot?" he screamed as he stormed away from the apartment complex, face contorted with anger. "ARGH!" His obsidian eyes shot up towards the sky, narrowed in annoyance. "WHAT THE HELL DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?" he cried, ignoring the odd stares he got because of this. And as if the heavens answered...

It rained.

Again.

And so, with his head hung and his dark bangs clinging to his face, he continued on his way, cursing everything that was Naruto.

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**End Chapter Two**

FINALLY I UPDATED. HOLY SHIYIT.

Well, I'm all done now. If I update again, will you love me more? -silence- FINE! DON'T LOVE ME! -stomps off like Sasuke- -gets rained on- ...Nice. -dies-

Reviews make me happy. Review. NOW! -rawr-

**Hitokiri-Kitsune**


	3. Chapter 3

**.G r a v i t y.**

The Third Installment Of Something Strange.

By **Hitokiri-Kitsune**

**A / N:** Well, hello, hello. Here I am again! I'm updating! Holy shiyit! Well, I'm going to try and make some time to write more chapters for you guys. I can't believe the feedback I'm getting for this: so much love for Hitokiri-chan! YAY! -dies from all teh shock of love-ness- Hopefully, you guys aren't too mad about the long wait. I really do try to get things done, but I find myself a bit empty of ideas. Let's see if my muse came back from his long vacation. About the point of view...Well, I thought it'd be fun. Sorry if I butcher our poor grumpy ninja's personality. --;; As if I haven't tortured the poor boy enough already...sheesh...

**D i s c l a i m e r:** _Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto "G r a v i t y" © **Hitokiri-Kitsune**

**P a i r i n g:** Sasuke x Naruto DUH-HUR-AH.

Whole thing is in Sasuke's POV. O.o Yay.

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**.C h a p t e r 3.**

Insane. Naruto was completely insane. And he was slowly dragging me down with him, down that road of undeniable craziness. And the rain! The rain WOULD NOT stop, no matter how much I prayed to Kami-sama to let it go away, and let the sun come out again. Nope; the sky stayed just as gray, the clouds just as heavy, and the rain just as hard. Could you blame me for getting angry at Kakashi when he conveniently showed up at my house ―in my room, no less!― uninvited? While I was in nothing but my damned boxers?

...No, you couldn't.

Said silver-haired idiot stood there with his arms crossed, visible eye turned up in a happy grin. "Hey there, Sasuke!" he greeted, and his voice was just as sickeningly joyous. That irked me for some reason― I mean, here I was, half naked and freezing, and he was just standing there, perky as could be, leaving me to wallow in my own self-misery. I was overwhelmed with the urge to kill the man, but I managed to keep my composure. "What do you want?" I snapped, grabbing the towel I had set out on my bed.

"Uh...Hmm, why am I here?" he mumbled, tapping his chin in thought. The killing urge came back again; I just couldn't get a break, could I? I thought about all the ways I could send both him and Naruto six feet under before he finally spoke up again. "Hokage-sama wants to see you! That's why I'm here!" he stated in the same cheerful voice. My hands were balled into fists, held so tightly that my palms started throbbing.

"What the hell for?"

"Wow Sasuke, losing your cool? Tsk tsk."

Sometimes the man could be just plain annoying.

I took a few breaths in a pathetic attempt to calm down, then tried asking again. "Why does Hokage-sama wish to see me?" I asked, keeping my anger in check. "Well, that's for her to tell you," he replied, placing both hands behind his head. "She said she wants you to meet her in ten minutes...Oh, by the way..." He paused, and I could tell that he was smirking. "It's raining outside, so be sure to get an umbrella or something." Without saying another word, he performed a few hand seals and disappeared, leaving behind a thin wisp of smoke.

I stood still, towel clutched in my hand, before turning and pummeling my pillow to a feathery pulp. Sighing, I finished drying myself off, then retrieved a dry set of clothes from my dresser. I dressed quickly, wondering what Tsunade-sama could possibly want with me. Making a point to grab the umbrella that had been tossed aside long ago, I made my way out of my apartment and outside into the accursed rain, heading towards the Hokage's office.

So when I got there, I immediately went to her desk, trying my best to be polite despite the day's events. "You wished to see me, Tsunade-sama?" I said, keeping the anger out of my tone. "Ah, Sasuke!" she said, just as happy as Kakashi was. I honestly wanted to throw up. "You wanted to see me?" I repeated, grating my teeth. I guess she noticed my irritation, because she cleared her throat impressively and sat up a bit straighter.

"Take a seat," she commanded, gesturing to a chair in front of the desk. I decided to do so, figuring that she would take forever to tell me what she wanted. I've noticed that the adults in this village are like that; they don't get right down to the point. They have to throw in a thousand useless details before actually telling you the important things. Idiots. I glared icily at her, wondering if she was doing this on purpose. She smiled kindly at me, then began speaking.

"Sasuke...You're a dependable young man."

"..."

"I trust that you have no plans?"

Just _what_ was she getting at?

I raised an eyebrow. "No, I guess," I grumbled, not bothering to hide my unhappiness. She paused, thinking, then continued. "And, do you consider yourself to be...oh, how do I put this?" she muttered to herself, tapping a pen atop the desk. There was a long moment of silence, in which I completely lost interest.

I settled for staring at the desk instead of Tsunade-sama. I noted that it was smooth, dark mahogany wood, and that there were multiple things scattered across it in random order. A small hippo figurine was positioned haphazardly in the corner; you know, the ones that you squeeze when you're stressed. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the leg was completely torn off and just held together with a piece of tape.

"...suke?"

I wondered what had caused _that_.

...Then I decided I didn't care.

"Sasuke!"

Blinking, I looked up, paying attention again. Hokage-sama looked thoroughly exasperated at my zoning out, so I assumed that she had said something important. "Sasuke," she snapped, "I asked you a question." I stared at her helplessly, at a loss. She sighed heavily, then gave me a stern look. "I asked you if you're up for the mission."

I blinked slowly at her again, then tilted my head slightly. "Which...is...?" I asked, hearing the own confusion in my voice. Her eye twitched slightly, giving her a pretty intimidating look, if I do say so myself. "Naruto will be impersonating a very important man's date. You will be accompanying him. You have no say." She said the last four words with hidden venom, and with such a definiteness that I didn't open my mouth for another few seconds.

That didn't last.

"**WHAT?"**

She merely smirked at me. I gaped back, unable to keep my jaw from falling with a _thunk_ onto her desk. "You leave tomorrow. Report here at 5 AM to get the specifics and such...Enjoy your mission!" she said, and with that, two ANBU grabbed me, dragging me out of her office. Stupid witch. She was lucky they had arrived― I was ready to kill her, whether I died trying or not. Even though I was furious, I bit my tongue and kept myself from lashing out at the nin who held my arm and led me out onto the street. He let go, then turned and strode back into the building with the other one, the door closing behind him and his partner.

Figuring I had no reason to be there, I started walking, thinking. Well, more asking questions that I couldn't answer myself. What exactly did this whole thing involve? Just what were we supposed to be accomplish doing this, anyway? And why couldn't she assign someone else? It made me wonder why Hokage-sama seemed so damn pleased with herself handing me such an annoying task, with the last person I wanted to see again, let alone be forced to travel with. Unless...

_Sakura._

And then it all made sense. Obviously, Ms. **Open-My-Huge-Annoying-Mouth** told the entire village about this "_relationship_" that didn't even _EXIST_. Just what was she trying to do to me? Ruin my reputation beyond repair? I growled a little too loudly and sent my fist into the nearest object― Some shop window. Almost instantly, an old woman chased after me, swinging around a broom and occationally hitting me with it. Even if I did loose her eventually, I couldn't help but feel the urge to kill everyone and myself.

But, look on the bright side...Things can't get worse.

Right? _Right?_

Right...

**

* * *

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**E n d C h a p t e r 3**

WRONG. XD Things will only get worse for poor Sasuke-kun. –laughs evilly- Anyway...yeah, this took forever― I had massive writers block, I'm sorry! x.x Don't hate me! Much love to all, and I'll try to update more often now that school is finally out. :3

**Hitokiri-Kitsune**

((Review for me? Please? So I'll update faster? ;o;))


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